New AG Morrisey Issues Challenge to Obama

February 15, 2013

CHARLESTON – West Virginia's new Attorney General, Patrick Morrisey, is a breath of fresh air. This week he released a letter he has sent to President Obama that both asks for Obama's help in reversing the damage done by the EPA under departing Administrator Lisa Jackson and serving notice that his office will defend the state's primary industry if Obama chooses to ignore the needs of our state and flaunt the Constitutional limitations of his office, Morrisey vows to use all the powers of his office to challenge Obama.

Here are a few excerpts from his letter to Obama.

"My predecessor passed on opportunities to participate in litigation to protect West Virginia's energy interests, but I intend to be much more aggressive in defending West Virginia against EPA overreach. I promised the citizens of this state that, as their new attorney general, I would uphold the principles of federalism and work to ensure that the federal government does not take actions that are inconsistent with the US Constitution and the rule of law. Further, I vow to review each lawsuit brought by the state attorney general and carefully evaluate whether West Virginia should become involved.

Our goal is straightforward: we seek to ensure the agency does not take any legal shortcuts in its efforts to advance its policy goals. We will use every tool at our disposal, including legal, policy, and educational mechanisms to protect West Virginia's sovereign interests and fight federal overreach that harms our way of life.

When you are deciding who to nominate as EPA Administrator, I would ask that you carefully consider the EPA's recent track record and take into account the interests of all Americans, including the people of West Virginia. I implore you to choose a nominee who is committed to acting within the law. Moreover, I urge you not to select a person who would aggressively engage in a war on coal and extractive industries, as recent reports suggest is your intent. We both surely can agree that the resources currently being spent to unsuccessfully defend the EPA's overreach can be better spent elsewhere."